I was the off-road racing correspondent for Inside Motorcycles magazine circa 2007-2011. I did it using Pentax cameras along with Pentax and Tokina lenses starting with a K10-D and later a K7. I got front pages, whole pages and even double page spreads. I'd say 95% of the shots were in full manual. My K3-II would have been a definite advantage for the added resolution, dynamic range, and image quality: the K3-III even more so, but it's not really about the hardware (except maybe the lenses), more about developing the specific skills for the target sport.

I have been doing sport photography since 2009 and have always used Pentax. I currently, since 2015, do sports photography as a profession for universities and high schools nationally. I have not found anything but positive success with my 70-200mm f2.8 and 300m f4 lenses. I don't have the 55-300mm, so can't compare. I currently use 2 K-3 Markiii's and a K-3. I always shoot in AF-C. I have found that Type 2 Autofocus is much better for action sports, Focus Action 4, Subject priority off, TAv, panning, Release Priority, Shutter not lower than 800 (although it is usually fine down to 500 inside), aperture f4 mostly when outside. When I have trouble, it is the camera body or the buffering of the SD cards that causes it to pause or not seem to focus. I have not ever had a problem with my 70-200mm f2.8 unless I dropped it...then had to get a new one.  I would love to try the 55-300mm sometime, although not being a f2.8 is a problem. The sports I shoot are soccer, cross country, Nordic skiing (cross country), track and field, as well as occasionally, golf.

I most shoot Sports. Football (European), motocross, cycling, cricket etc both with Sony A74 Tamron 35-150 Sony 200-600 as well with K1-ll Pentax 70-200 f2.8 Pentax 150-450. Had 2 copies of PLM 55-300 and 3 bodies of K3-lll but went back to K1-ll because of better IQ, colors, exposure etc. Sony vs Pentax is totally different techniques. Sony tracks the subject while with Pentax I have to track myself which I like better, more in control. To get great photos in focus is not a problem with a slow camera as K1-II. AF-C, spot focus or 9 points selective (selective slows down the camera a bit) and maximum Hold will nail so much more than anything else of fancy settings and I get as many % keepers as with A74 and better IQ as a bonus. Sony has other great things that makes it useful. Tested to follow hockey players skating around the whole rink with fokus locked on one player and it just glues to him even when other comes between, its just amazing to nail shots after shot with endless buffer never stopping the camera. Buffer and tracking is Pentax major problems but IQ can no one beat. Have had D500 and Canon R5 but they are gone. Try AF-C plus Spot with 150-450 it will be great. 70-200 focus a bit faster but you have the 150-450. Just now sitting comparing Football shots from last week and K1-II are fantastic even if A74 is sharper cropping in but sharpness is not all to a picture.

For capturing sports action here are some recommended settings: 1. **Shutter Speed**: Set your shutter speed to at least 1/500s or faster to freeze fast-paced sports action. For even faster moving subjects or in low light conditions, consider using a faster shutter speed like 1/1000s or higher. 2. **Aperture**: Use a wide aperture (lower f-stop number) to let in more light and achieve a shallower depth of field. This can help separate your subject from the background and create a more dynamic image. However, be mindful of maintaining a fast enough shutter speed to prevent motion blur. 3. **ISO**: Set your ISO to a level that allows for a fast enough shutter speed while maintaining image quality. Start at a low ISO (e.g., ISO 100 or 200) and increase it if needed to achieve proper exposure in low-light situations. 4. **Focus**: Use continuous autofocus (AF-C) mode to track moving subjects and ensure they remain in focus. Consider using the camera's predictive autofocus feature if available to help anticipate the subject's movements. 5. **Burst Mode**: Enable the camera's continuous shooting mode to capture a series of shots in quick succession. This can help increase your chances of capturing the decisive moment in fast-paced sports. 6. **Metering Mode**: Choose evaluative or matrix metering mode to ensure the camera properly exposes for the overall scene. Adjust exposure compensation as needed to compensate for challenging lighting conditions. 7. **White Balance**: Set the white balance to match the lighting conditions or use auto white balance for convenience. You can also experiment with different white balance settings to achieve the desired color temperature. 8. **Image Stabilization**: If your lens or camera has image stabilization, consider enabling it to reduce the effects of camera shake, especially when shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds. Remember to practice with these settings before the actual sports event to familiarize yourself with your camera's capabilities and ensure you're prepared to capture the action effectively. Adjust settings as necessary based on the specific sport, lighting conditions, and your creative vision.

I took photos during beach volleyball of uniformed services in Poland in the city of "Przemyśl Fortress", using an old Pentax K10D digital camera with a CCD matrix. I set the focus to the center of the frame and track the movement, freeing the electronics from this function and using the so-called Zoom walk 16-85 and it works. In addition, you can set the focus at a specific point and when the object is in the focus range, the camera will release the shutter - this is an old trick of photographers taking photos of fast sports. You can also combine it with serial photos. I don't know if the K3 mark III has face tracking, because if so, it is only in live view and this can also be used to prevent the camera from losing the athlete's face. Unfortunately, Pentax K10D does not have this function./ Greetings from Poland from the city of "Przemyśl Fortress". Ps. I'm sorry but I don't speak English and I translate the text using Google Translator.

I did many sports for a number of years. Newspaper, AP. That was all film. It really boils down to ‘follow the ball’ and keep an eye out for human interest. I never used a motor drive - some did. But training your eye to read the moment is key. Shooting with a K1 II for football was frustrating. The K3 III works much better. Pentax needs some long telephotos in f2.8 for night sports. The high ISO performance of the K3 III is definitely excellent but every little bit helps.

i shoot field hockey cycling road and track and the occasional softball with a70-200mm and 150-450mm i use af C small select type 3 s with af hold off seems to work for me with the k3iii . you get some miss some how it goes high shutter speeds help

great comments in here.... note worthy ive even came back to read again

Got some bangers in there. I love SLRs, but I definitely DO NOT miss them for action. I'm happy to relegate action to mirrorless. I get like a >90% hit rate - it just sticks where I want it. As to what I look for? Subject isolation via large aperture / F2.8 70-200. Eyes/ face in focus while swinging. Get right up to the fence - the telephoto lens will shoot between the links. Fill the frame with your subject, but leave enough room to see the ball inbound and outbound. Candid dugout shots- you can capture emotions through the chan link and do olit from a distance. Fun stuff 😁

I’d be curious on more of your finding. Let us know what you find out. Is there going to be a run on Pentax after everyone who purchased the film camera get an itch for what else Pentax has? I shoot mirrorless and Pentax older film cams. Going to jump back into another Pentax DSLR the k1 and k3iii at the same price definitely makes it a little harder. Or just a kf.

Kobie This is nothing new with the K-3-111 that' why I have user 1 Autofocus S and user #2 autofocus C so I toggle between the two settings Sometimes the camera can be a pain using its advanced features

Pentax UK sent everyone they could think of a 17... Pentax US didn't send you one?? LOL! 🙂

Good info as always! Would a 70-200 f2.8 be a decent choice, or does the 55-300 do better because of the PLM speed? Had good luck with the 70-200 shooting indoor sports - figure skating, so much slower action than trying to catch baseball impact